Carry On, Kiddo
by Stooksss
Summary: Set before apocalypse. Sam and Dean save a girl who was unfortunate enough to have been possessed by a demon. They decide to take her back to her hometown, halfway across the country. They'd only be stuck with her a week, right?
1. Chapter 1

"Dammit, hurry up, Sam! We can't stay here much longer! The place is gonna blow!" Dean yelled over the sound of the alarm in the warehouse they were currently in. Gas was leaking from a pipe that had been broken during the fight. The furnace was bound to kick on in the basement of the building, and as soon as it did, BOOM!

"Ut Ecclésiam tuam secúra tibi fácias servire libertáte, te rogámus, audi nos!" As Sam yelled the words, the familiar black cloud exited the young woman's mouth, meaning the demon possessing her had left. She collapsed to the floor.

"Come on, Sammy!" Sam picked the girl up and fled out of the building behind his brother. They rushed to the safety of the Impala, and when the last door slammed shut, the building that had just evacuated became a mass of metal and flames, collapsing in on itself. Dean started the car and sped away, trying to get as much distance between them and the building before the authorities got to the scene.

"How's she doing? Look like there's any serious injuries?" Dean asked to the backseat, where Sam had placed the girl before getting in after her.

"I'm not sure. She's still out. She's only bleeding from the fight the demon put up, but hopefully she's okay internally." They drove in silence for a few miles before she started to stir. Sam tapped his brother on the shoulder, signaling him to pull over at the closest motel. The girl grumbled as she started to sit up on her own, Sam helping her. As soon as she was able to fully take in her surroundings, she spoke.

"Who are you two? Where are we? Can either of you explain what the fuck just happened?" She started to hyperventilate. Sam tried to help her get through it, while Dean rolled his eyes from the front seat. People never handled things like he would like them to. The girl he had just helped save was starting to calm down as he pulled into the lot of the first motel he saw. As he went inside to get a room, Sam was finally successful in calming the mess of a stranger that was sitting next to him.

"I know you went through a lot. I know what it's like, and my brother and I want to help you, but you have to let us, okay?" She nodded slowly in response. "Good. Now what's your name?"

"Holli. Holli Lauren." She practically mouthed her name; it was so hard to hear.

"Well you're safe now, Holli. We'll explain what happened once we get inside." With perfect timing, Dean tapped on the window to get their attention, holding up the room key.

Sam helped Holli out of the car and followed Dean to their home for the night. The air was brisk, and Holli shivered as they walked. Had they had a farther trek, he would have offered his jacket. She was so small, both in weight and height; a good foot shorter than him. Her dark, violet hair was a mess around her face from the wind, and her glasses immediately fogged up as they all entered the motel room.

"Home, sweet home!" Dean said, smiling. He fell backwards on the nearest bed, letting out a content sigh. Sam rolled his eyes and took off his coat, while Holli stood looking uncomfortable.

"I did awful things." She said, more to herself than the other two in the room.

"Well yea, you were possessed." Dean told her.

"By what?"

"A demon. Not sure which one. We didn't get the name."

"Jesus Christ." Holli sat down on the other bed, looking horrified.

"Nope, not him. Haven't you read your bible? He's definitely no demon."

"Dean." Sam looked at his brother, annoyed.

"Joking!"

"Why me?" Holli added to the conversation.

"Were you stressed, sad, scared?" Sam sat down next to her.

"My rabbit died and I was really upset by that." Dean laughed at this, causing Sam to shoot a glare in his direction.

"That could have been it. Anyone who is vulnerable is the perfect candidate for possession."

"Looks like Thumper's dying gift to you was a case of demonic possession."

"Dammit, Dean! This isn't the time!" Sam was too fed up with Dean's jokes.

"No, he's fine. Everyone would always tell me that I cared more about my pets than people." Holli smiled to herself, replaying a memory in her head. "So is the demon completely out of me? I won't be trapped in my own body again?"

"We exorcised you. Sent that asshole straight back to where he belongs." Dean started to take his shoes off, looking smug; proud to have sent another demon to the confines of Hell.

"I didn't even believe in demons or anything before this." She put her head in her hands, chiding herself on being so obviously wrong.

"There's a lot out there that you wouldn't believe." Sam told her, following suit with Dean and taking off his shoes.

"I feel gross. Do either of you need the bathroom before I take a shower?" Both boys shook their heads, so Holli went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

"Why can't one person not freak out when we exorcise them?" Dean asked as he stripped down to get into bed.

"Having an exorcism performed on you isn't exactly an everyday activity for most people, Dean. And you could be nicer to her about it. She's really shaken up by all of this."

"You know me, Sammy. I'm just trying to lighten the mood." He flashed his brother a cheeky smile, which was met by yet another familiar eye roll. "And at least she's a cute upset girl instead of some ugly old hag who won't stop crying."

"Do you always have to point out how a girl looks?"

"Of course I do, Sammy. It's part of my job. Now shut up. I'm exhausted." He then got comfortable under the blankets and proceeded to get to sleep. Sam sighed at his brother, wondering how he was able to put up with him for so long.

As he sat at the end of the bed, with nothing but the sound of his brother slightly snoring and the shower running in the bathroom to keep him company, tiredness washed over him. He began taking off his clothes so he could soon fall asleep. He then took out his laptop to distract himself, not wanting to fall asleep and have Holli trying to get situated in the dark. He looked at the obituaries on the surrounding towns' newspapers' websites, and found all to be of natural causes. While reading a random article he had discovered on one of the sites, he was interrupted by Holli coming out of the bathroom, re-dressed and with wet hair. He hadn't even thought of her not having any other clothes.

"I'll give you a shirt and a pair of shorts to sleep in." Sam got out of bed and went over to his duffle bag.

"You really don't have to do that."

"I insist. You'll be more comfortable and sleep better." He walked over and handed her a plain black t-shirt and basketball shorts. She took them with a small smile and then went back to the bathroom to change. He then realized that there were three of them and only two beds. Grabbing a pillow and the top blanket from the bed, he lay down on the couch, legs not quite fitting. Holli came back out of the bathroom; drowning in the clothes Sam had given her. He couldn't help but laugh as he looked at her.

"Shut up!" She said, laughing a bit as well. "I can't help that I'm so short."

"Sorry. It's just funny to see."

"Well looking at your legs hanging off the side of the couch is pretty funny, too. Now get up and sleep in the bed. You were already nice enough to give me something to sleep in, and I'll fit there much better. I insist this time." She smiled, watching Sam get off of the couch. She couldn't help but look at his body as he walked by. He was very fit, and she though only someone who was completely blind would think him unattractive. His long hair went to his shoulders, which suited him very well. She lay down on the couch, noticing that her feet barely reached the other side.

"Hey, um, shit. I heard you say your brother's name, but I never got yours." She heard him chuckle to himself at this.

"I'm Sam."

"Then, hey, Sam. I was right to insist that I take the couch." She pointed to her feet, showing how the couch was a better fit for her.

"I'll have to agree with you on that." He said, grinning a toothy smile at her. She was pretty nice when she wasn't being controlled by a demon. They then said their "good nights" and drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was the first to wake up the next morning, which was really rare. Sam was usually up and stealing the hot water by the time Dean actually began moving around. Laughing, he locked himself in the bathroom and prepared a nice, hot shower, which he was determined to make a long one.

As he washed, making sure to take his time, he replayed the previous night's events in his head. He hadn't learned the girl's name yet, but whatever demon had been in her had put up a hell of a fight. The big bruise on his left side was proof of that. It was just starting to form, but he knew that in the next few days it would be an array of colors. He was glad they had saved the girl, but pissed that he had gotten hurt in the process. Especially hurt by a girl, even if she did have an evil force giving her strength.

When the water started to cool down, Dean turned it off and ended his shower. He wiped the fog off of the mirror and smiled when he saw that his face didn't have any marks. After appreciating his looks for a moment, be brushed his teeth and proceeded to get dressed. Once he exited the bathroom, he saw Sam sitting up in bed and the stranger moving her blanket off of the couch and returning is to the bed. Sam got up and made himself trudge to the bathroom. Dean heard his brother turn the shower on and moments later, to his satisfaction, Sam yelling "Dammit, Dean!" He chuckled to himself.

"What did you do?" His company asked.

"Oh, nothing. Just thought Sammy might need some cool water to help him wake up. Make his skin glow." Dean was pleased to get a laugh out of her. "So what's your name, Thumbalina? I didn't catch it last night."

"It's Holli."

"Well then, Holli, I hate to tell you that one of us fucked up your pretty face in the fight last night. You've got a black eye starting to show itself."

"It hurt pretty bad last night, so I was expecting that to happen. I've got a busted lip, too." She pointed to the left side of her bottom lip, which was swollen and scabbed.

"I'll have to take the blame for that. I got a bit carried away after you punched me."

"I'm guessing I hit you hard?" Dean replied by lifting up his shirt to show off his forming bruise. She looked shocked that she could have caused that. She tried to say something, but couldn't think of anything. "Don't feel bad about it. You weren't quite yourself."

"Thanks." She was relieved that he wasn't upset with her. Before they could say anything else, Sam came out of the bathroom.

"What the hell, Dean?!" He shivered and looked very pissed.

"Just dishing you some of your own medicine." Dean gave him his signature cheeky grin. Sam glared back, got his clothes to change into, and locked himself in the bathroom. No doubt pouting, he left Dean and Holli in an uncomfortable silence.

"So…" Dean tried to break the ice, "Is that Sam's shirt?" He remembered that she hadn't been swimming in an over-sized shirt and shorts the night before.

"Oh, yeah. Sam let me use them since I don't have any other clothes aside from the ones I had on my back."

"You look ridiculous." He rummaged through his bag and found a grey shirt to let her wear. His was smaller, and he could hardly look at her in Sam's giant shirt without wanting to laugh. "Here. It'll still be big, but better than that." She accepted it without opposition.

"Thanks. I smelled my shirt last night and it's disgusting. I don't know whether to wash it when I can, or just throw it away."

"Sexy." Dean said, sarcastically, of course. Holli smiled at him and then went to change once Sam came out.

"So what's the plan? Sam asked his big brother.

"We can't really take her with us."

"What? We can't just leave her in a strange town on her own!"

"Shh!" Dean didn't want her to hear their conversation. "She's a liability, Sammy."

"She was just possessed. She probably doesn't even know what state we're in. I'm not leaving her by herself." He crossed his arms, standing his ground.

"Jesus, Sammy. Why do you always have to play hero?"

"I'm not. I'm just trying to be a good person."

"Fine. But if anything happens and she gets herself hurt or killed, it's on you. We'll take her home and that's it."

"Sounds good." They nodded at each other and looked over at Holli as she emerged from the bathroom. Dean's shirt was still big on her, but a better fit than Sam's. She had put her hair back in a ponytail, and replaced the basketball shorts with black denim jeans. Both boys looked at her without saying anything.

"What? Do I still look like an idiot?" She looked down at her outfit self-consciously.

"No, no!" Sam spoke up. "That shirt looks much better on you."

"Thanks." The three of them stood awkwardly for a moment.

"As much as I love this little party, we need to hit the road. Where are you from, Holli?" Dean didn't want to be responsible for another person while he and Sam hunted.

"Madison, Indiana. It's right at the southern border, near Ohio and Kentucky."

"Don't they have some big race?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, the Regatta. It's a boat race. They made a movie about it. Where exactly are we now?"

"Montana. We've got quite a drive ahead of us, so let's get to it!" Dean clapped and then grabbed his bag and went out to the car.

"I can't believe that asshole demon made me go to fucking Montana." Holli groaned as she put on her leather boots.

"At least you aren't seriously hurt, or dead."

"You've got a point." She smiled at him and then stood up to leave. Sam opened the door for her and they went to the car after Dean.

Sam had forgotten how boring Montana really was. As he looked out of his window, he saw nothing but fields and the occasional cattle farm. There were some areas that still had snow on the ground, and he was thankful the heater in the car worked well. A few minutes after they had left the motel, Sam had noticed Holli shivering in the backseat, so he gave her his jacket; glad he had chosen to wear a long-sleeved shirt under his t-shirt. He glanced at her every now and then in his side mirror, smiling to himself when he saw her asleep with her face against the glass, body covered by his coat. As he looked at her features, he couldn't hekp but agree with what Dean had said the night before. She was cute. Her glasses were tilted oddly on her face from being pressed against the window, and her mouth was open a little, but even like that and with her bruised eye and busted lip, she still looked attractive. His thoughts were interrupted by Dean's stomach grumbling.

Dean had regretted not eating before they got on the interstate, and his regret was validated after his stomach had made an audible noise. He decided that they would stop at the next restaurant they came across. If he waited too long, he would get in a bad mood, and that just didn't seem appealing to him.

Looking in the review mirror, he saw Holli scratch her nose in her sleep. She looked tiny in Sam's coat, which amused him. Her traveling with them still made him uneasy, but at least she was just sleeping instead of talking nonstop. He enjoyed the silence as they drove. It was relaxing, which was much appreciated after what the previous day had been. Noticing a sign for a diner just up the road, Dean spoke up.

"I don't know about you, Sammy, but I'm starving."

"You're always starving." Sam laughed as Dean shot him an unhappy look. "But I'm hungry, too."

"Good. There's a place up ahead. He, munchkin!" He yelled to the backseat. "Wake up. We're stopping to eat." He looked at Holli in his mirror, satisfied to see her waking up. She wiped her eyes and sat up as they pulled into the restaurant's parking lot. Her body was stiff from falling asleep against the door, so she was happy to stretch her legs when they got out of the car. While she was standing, she checked her pockets for money or her debit card, not expecting to find anything. To her surprise, she found a 50 and a 20-dollar-bill in one of her back pockets. She mentally high-fived herself and followed the brothers inside.

The three sat down at a booth, Holli on one side, Dean and Sam on the other. Both brothers ordered coffee and bacon cheeseburgers, while Holli ordered tea, chicken strips, and macaroni and cheese.

"Are you literally 8 years old?" Dean asked, once the waitress was gone. Holli just gave him a confused look. "Chicken strips and macaroni?

"Shut up! There's nothing wrong with what I ordered. It's good!"

"Yeah, if you haven't hit puberty."

"I don't care what you say. I love it and I've been through puberty, so your argument is invalid."

"How old are you, though? Obviously you aren't 8, but you're also not 38." Sam added.

"I'm 24. 25 in April. Definitely not 8 or 38."

"Fine. You win." Dean caved. He would just have to make fun of her food choices in his head.

Their waitress brought the plated out to them a few minutes later. They ate in silence for a while until Holli talked.

"So is demon hunting your job?" She asked after taking a drink of her tea.

"Demons, shape shifters, ghosts, most things you can think of, and more. We kill it all." Dean shoved more food in his mouth.

"What got you into it?

"It's kind of like the family business." Same spoke this time. "Our mom was killed by a demon when we were just kids. Our dad trained us after that."

"Does he still hunt?"

"Demon killed him." It didn't take anything other than that for Holli to drop the subject. They finished eating and, when Holli offered to pay for her food, Sam insisted that he'd cover the bill. Once he paid, they got back into the care and drove until the sky had been dark for a couple of hours. They had made good distance, stopping for the night at the border of Wyoming and Nebraska. Since Holli had asked about their dad, they hadn't talked much; only making small talk when they stopped to get gas or use the bathroom.

"Look, I'm really sorry about earlier. About bringing up your dad. But I didn't know that he was gone. Can we _please_ stop with the awkwardness? I'm sorry." She didn't want to the next few days of the drive to be a continuation of the tension.

"We're sorry." Dean was the first to speak. "It's just, no matter how much time passes, it's still hard." Sam nodded in agreement.

"I know what you mean. My grandpa raised me and he died a couple of years ago. It sucks, but enough with the sad stuff, please! I saw we go get a few drinks. I owe you guys for everything." She smiled at them, hoping that they would agree.

"Hell yeah!" Dean smiled and Sam and Holli laughed, glad everything was okay again.

The three walked to the bar they had passed a couple of blocks away from their motel. It wasn't the nicest place, but it had alcohol, which was all that mattered. Sam and Holli sat down at a table while Dean went to get a few shots.

"To sending assholes to Hell." He said after passing them out and raising one of his in the middle of the table. His two companions met his glass with their own before shooting down the liquor. After a few more shots, the three were feeling buzzed. Sam was the first to notice Dean flirting with a blonde across the bar. He nudged Holli, getting her to notice the two eyeing each other. She surprised them by getting up and walking over to the girl.

"What the hell is she doing?" Dean was intrigued. "Think they're gonna make out?" He asked his brother, hopeful. Sam just rolled his eyes and watched Holli and the blonde walk back over to the table.

"Hey guys. This is Sarah. I was just telling her how pretty you thought she was, Dean." Holli grabbed Sam by the shoulder and pulled him away from the table. Dean mouthed 'thank you' to her as she and Sam went over to sit at the bar. He asked for a beer and she got a margarita.

"You're only encouraging him." Sam said after taking a swig.

"It's the least I can do. I figure if I can help him get laid, he won't regret not leaving me in Montana."

"You heard us talking." It was more of recognition than a question.

"Yeah, but I'm not mad. I understand what he was thinking, and I'm going to try and not get myself killed." She giggled as she took a drink. Sam smiled at the sound. "So how long until Deano scored with Blondie?" She waited for his answer while taking a long drink through her straw.

"If I know my brother as well as I think I do, he's almost done with the story about him saving me from drowning when I was little. Never happened. He held me under, but they never learn that." He finished his beer and signaled the bartender for another. "Look! She's got the 'aw' face!" Holli turned around and, sure enough, Sarah was mid-'aw' and then whispering in his ear. He raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"It's happening!" Holli repeatedly smacked Sam's shoulder and pointed. They watched as he said something to the girl and then started walking over to both of them, smirking.

"Shelby's needs a ride back to her place. I'm going to teach her mouth-to-mouth. I'll meet you guys back at the hotel in the morning."

"Hey, Dean." Holli grabbed his collar and pulled him down closer. "Her name is Sarah. Don't fuck up your lay, Danny Phantom."

"Sarah. Heh, that would have been awkward. Thanks, kiddo. Now don't you two do anything I wouldn't do." He winked at them and then walked back over to Sarah, putting his arm around her as they left.

"I don't understand how he does it." Sam said, astonished.

"Am I intruding on your pick-up time? Because I can go back to the room."

"No! I could never do what Dean does."

"Why not?" She was almost done with her margarita and had already motioned to the bartender than she wanted a beer.

"I just don't like it. I'm not like Dean. I can't sleep with someone and feel okay about never seeing them again."

"Aw! You're a gentleman!" She laughed and pinched his cheek.

"Stop it." He laughed, too. "What about you? Am I hindering you from getting your freak on?"

"Ha, no way. I could definitely get my freak on if I wanted to. I just don't see anyone here that would do."

"Oh, thanks for the ego-boost!"

"Shut up. Don't be a girl. You know very damn well that you're the most attractive person here. I just wouldn't do that to you."

"Why?"

"Things always just get messy. It's one thing to fuck a stranger, but I've learned not to fuck someone I actually like."

"Heh, you like me." He teased.

"Well yeah. You saved my life, made sure I wasn't abandoned in fucking Montana, and you're gorgeous. I'd be an idiot to not like you." She drank the whole of her beer in one gulp, and let out a breath when she was finished. Sam laughed at her.

"You're cute."

"I'll have to agree with you on that, but don't try anything, mister."

"You wouldn't want that?"

"You only have less than a week left with me and then you guys are going. Thought you didn't try to pick up someone you'd never see again." She gave him a sly smile. He just smiled back, though it was hard to focus with the alcohol making his head swim. "Let's get back to the room before we forget how to get there." He carefully stood up and waited for Holli, who hopped off of her stool, only to fall to the ground. She burst out laughing. Sam decided that it would be easier to just put her over his shoulder.

"I like this!" She giggled.

"You drank a lot for your size."

"Yes."

"You're aware of that?"

"Yeah. Makes it so I'm too messed up to take advantage of you." She smacked his butt.

"You really think that _you_ could take advantage of _me_?" He waited for her response for a moment. "Holli?" She didn't say anything, having passed out. "Great. Now I look like I'm carrying a dead body down the road."


	3. Chapter 3

"Well isn't this just precious." Dean chuckled when he returned to the room the next morning. He was welcomed by the site of Holli asleep, upper half of her body hanging off the side of the bed, and Sam asleep with his pants around his ankles, legs sticking straight out into the air. Dean pulled out his cell phone and took a picture. He smiled at the view once more before waking them up.

"Wakey, wakey!" He yelled. "Frodo, Chewie! Time to hit the road!" Holli jumped, startled by him yelling, and fell completely off the bed, and Sam jumped to his feet, only to fall because of his pants acting as restraints. Dean burst out laughing. "What the hell happened last night? Am I going to be an uncle?" He said when he was able to speak. Holli looked from Dean to Sam and her jaw dropped at seeing his pants down. Sam noticed, too, and struggled to pull them up.

"No! No no no! I just passed out while I was trying to take them off. Holli passed out before we even got back here. Nothing happened!" They all stared at each other for a moment before they were overcome by a fit of laughter.

"Can I shower before we leave? I smell like alcohol and shame." Holli said once she calmed down a bit.

"That's just how I like my women." Dean wiggled his eyebrows at her, which she returned with an eye roll and a smirk. She went into the bathroom and turned on the water, leaving the boys alone.

"How was your night?" Sam yawned.

"Sticky." Dean grinned at him. "What about you? You really didn't hit that?"

"No, Dean. I did not 'hit that'."

"She turn you down?"

"What? No. We just talked. I think she smacked my ass before she passed out, but that was it."

"Kinky." Sam sighed and changed his shirt. He knew talking to Dan about Holli would be pointless. He thought he remembered her confessing that she liked him, but he wasn't 100% sure. All he knew was he was starting to develop feelings for her, which he was upset about. Anyone he ever grew close to, he ended up leaving, or they ended up getting killed. It was like he was cursed. The last thing he wanted was to be the reason for Holli getting hurt.

When she emerged from the bathroom, the three of them packed up their things and began their day's journey. Sam and Dean couldn't help but notice Holli fidgeting in the backseat.

"What's up with you?" Dean asked.

"It's embarrassing."

"Lady stuff?"

"No! It's…I can fucking smell the alcohol and sweat on this shirt from last night and it's gross. Can we stop at a cheap store or something?"

"You're super classy, aren't you?"

"Oh shut up, Dean. It's your shirt that I got sweaty drunk in, anyway."

"I'll cherish is forever, Bilbo."

"Are hobbits real?" Holli asked, catching the reference.

"Yep. There's one in the backseat." He laughed at his own stupid joke.

"Ignore him. He's just happy that he isn't the shortest one in the car."

"Shut up, Shaq." They smiled while Dean put on his best butt hurt scowl. Within the hour, they had tracked down a GoodWill store. Holli still had $35 on her, which would be more than enough. Sam was trailing her while she looked around, while Dean was wandering off on his own. She and Sam heard him flirting with one of the workers and they laughed a little.

"So, um, what exactly are we looking for?" She could tell that Sam wasn't used to shopping with women.

"Anything that is remotely my size and warm looking." She looked through the long-sleeved shirts and the only thing she could find that wasn't hideous was a mustard yellow and navy blue striped sweater. When she pulled it from the rack, she saw that it was a turtleneck and groaned. "Do you have any scissors in the car?"

"I'm sure we have something sharp, if that's what you need."

"Okay. I won't be caught dead in a turtleneck."

"Why not?"

"Because they're awful."

"Oh…"

"You poor, clueless man. I'll try to explain. Say you find me attractive. You'd want to see skin, right?" Sam wasn't sure how to answer. He didn't know if this was some sort of trap and stood there with a clueless look on his face, while Holli stared at him expectantly.

"Uh, y-yeah. I guess so." He hoped his anxiety wasn't written all over his face.

"Okay. So with you wanting to see skin, seeing my upper body, aside from my chin, being completely covered would be disappointed, right? And having my neck covered up to my chin is really unflattering because it looked like I've instantly gained 10 pounds in my face. So would you really want to see me covered up and fat?"

"Hell no." He blurted out without thinking.

"Then it looks like I've been successful in explaining the atrocity that is the turtleneck."

"Why bother with it, then?"

"I'm partial to these colors for some reason." She walked off with the shirt to pay, grabbing a plain yellow v-neck and black hoodie on the way. It totaled to $15, so she offered to pay for food from the next fast food place they could all agree on. Once back to the car, Sam was able to find some plain, regular, non-killing scissors. Holli took them and began turning her new sweater into something acceptable to wear in public. Sam couldn't help but wonder what she'd turn it in to while he pretended to listen to Dean telling him how the girl he was talking to "accidentally" dropped what she was holding and had to bend over to get it. It was an obvious move, but Dean never cared about that if he was able to see some ass. Sam started to space out and looked absentmindedly at his passenger mirror. His eyes widened as he saw Holli changing, probably thinking the brothers were too distracted by Dean's story. Embarrassed, he made himself look away, shifting awkwardly in his seat. He was glad to get out of the car when they decided on tacos for lunch.

"I'm like fucking Harry Potter when it comes to transforming clothing." Holli said, showing off her work. She had turned the ugly turtleneck sweater into an off-the-shoulder one.

"Can you show me how to use my wand, Potter?"

"Dean!" Sam was always surprised when his brother was able to somehow out-douche himself.

"Yeah. That one went too far…" He said, cheeks flushing red.

"It's fine. I'll take it has a compliment." Holli laughed.

"That's probably the best way to interpret it." Sam smiled at her. "You did a good job, though. It looks nice." She grinned at the actual compliment.

Sam and Holli were staring in amazement at Dean as he shoved his eighth taco in his mouth. Sam was used to it, but still amused, while Holli was witnessing what he could really do for the first time. He pointed at her leftover taco and asked if she was going to eat it. She just shook her head and continued to watch him inhale everything around him.

"How does he keep from getting huge?" Holli wondered out loud.

"I work out, short-stack." He flexed and then continued eating.

"I still wonder how he doesn't explode." Sam said. Dean didn't bother to glare at them. He was perfectly content shoving food in his mouth. Once he was finally full, they continued on their drive.

In the backseat, Holli sat thinking about her experiences from the entire situation. She didn't know how long she hadn't been in control of her body, which was met with fear of people she may have hurt or killed. The fact that she had let herself become open to possession made her ashamed. How could she have let herself become so weak? It was shameful and she felt violated. No good had come out of any of it, aside from meeting the Winchesters. They were incredibly different, yet they were great together. She smiled as she thought about Dean.

"Dean had acted like a hardass at first, not wanting to take her with them and making snarky comments in response to her. He seemed to open up, though, after she had helped him score. He joked more and was warmed to his brother, even if he was making jokes at Sam's expense. She loved how he'd make fun of her height by calling her stupid names. She realized that even though she had only known him for a few days, she would miss him. And she realized she would miss Sam, too.

Sam. She didn't know where to begin with him. He had been there to comfort her from the beginning of their time together. She would watch him when he wasn't looking and notice when he was lost in thought. When something bothered him, he would furrow his brow, giving him wrinkles at the top of the bridge of his nose. He held doors open her, not because he was trying to impress her, but just because he was polite. Holli remembered part of their time when they got drunk together. He had loosened up and she vaguely remembered them complimenting each other. She realized just how much she would miss her time with Sam and Dean Winchester, and tears started to form in her eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

They drove until it was dark again and made it just past the border and into Illinois. Dean went to pay for a room while Sam and Holli stood outside in silence. Both weren't looking forward to the next day. Sam was dreading it. He hadn't had an instant connection like what he and Holli has since Madison, years ago, and he hated to remember how that had ended. Even the fact that Holli lived in a town called Madison just seemed like a bad omen. He didn't know what to do with himself. Part of him thought everything would have been easier had they just left her in Montana, but the other part knew that it wouldn't have been. It was in his nature to help if he could, and he would have felt so much guilt. At least, this way, he knew she was safe.

Holli was picking at her nail polish as Sam looked down at her. She had braided her dark hair loosely to the side, falling over her exposed shoulder. He could see her collarbone, which he couldn't help but like. He also couldn't help but love how short she was. As he towered over her, he felt like he could easily protect her. He wanted to protect her so nothing bad would happen to her again. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile, Dean coming out with the key at the same time.

"Man I could use a drink." Dean groaned as he sat down on the bed closest to the door.

"We just drank last night. " Sam reminded him.

"Yeah, but you two had more than me, so it's not the same. Want to find a bar with me?" His question was aimed to both of his companions. Holli just shook her head, followed by Sam declining, too. "Fine. Be boring. I'll see you lameasses later." He waved and left the room, leaving Sam and Holli together in the silence.

"So, I'll be home tomorrow." She said, trying to sound happy about it.

"Yeah. Are you excited about it?"

"More nervous than anything. I don't know how long I've been gone, so I don't know if I even have a job or anything waiting for me."

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. What's your job?"

"I'm a cosmetologist. I worked at this salon downtown, in the historic district by the river. It's really just doing little old ladies' hair, but they're interesting."

"Is that why your hair is tinted violet?"

"Yeah. I like how it looks and I can get the color for pretty cheap, so I figured why not?" She smiled at him for a second before it faded.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked. She didn't say anything. "Holli?"

"I shouldn't be dreading tomorrow. I should be happy, but I'm not. How can I be glad to get home when nothing will be the same? I'm going to have to lie about where I was, and now I know about the things that are really out there. I almost don't want to go back."

"I'm sorry this happened to you, Holli. I really am."

"I know you are. You and Dean are the best things to come out of this, and after tomorrow I'll never see you again." She couldn't hold it in any longer. Her anxiety got the best of her and tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"Holli…" Sam went to her and hugged her. He hated to see her so upset. This wasn't how she was supposed to act. From what he had seen thus far, Holli was a free spirit with a good sense of humor. She was down to earth and cared about those around her, which he admired. "Things will work out." He whispered into her hair. She put her arms around him and clung to him until she was able to calm down.

"Sorry." She sniffed. "I'm sure this is all super appealing of me." Sam just smiled down at her and wiped away her remaining tears. "I'm going to miss you. Is that normal for not knowing you very long?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to miss you, too." They stared at each other awkwardly, neither quite knowing what to do next.

"Fuck it." Holli said. She grabbed the collar of Sam's shirt to pull him closer and kissed him. There was no hesitation on his part to kiss back. Not breaking their connection, Sam walked them both to the bed and sat down, Holli adjusting herself so she could straddle him.

Sam couldn't believe she had kissed him, but he was glad. All of his thought about not getting involved vanished when he had seen her cry. He never wanted her to cry because of something involving him. When Holli put her hands in his hair and slightly tugged, he let a moan slip out. She took that as a good sign and moved to kissing his neck. He couldn't take it very long and had to pull her mouth back to his. Sam could feel things progressing, and he wanted to make sure she was comfortable with everything.

"Do you want this?" He asked, breaking away from her. Holli answered him by pulling off her sweater and pushing him backwards on the bed. She bent down and began kissing him again while he took advantage of her exposed skin and started running his hands along her sides and back. The softness of her skin compared to his rough, calloused skin drove him crazy. He flipped Holli on her back and took over the top position. She let out a moan when he nipped at her neck, and he responded by grinding down on top of her.

Holli felt euphoric in all of this. Her mind wasn't on returning home or never seeing the Winchesters again, but on the way Sam's weight felt pressing down against her and the sensation his kisses left. She had briefly thought about ending it all before things got too far, as she felt casual sex with friends just brought on lot of complications, but rules were meant to be occasionally broken.

"Sam." She whispered as he kissed along her collarbone. He stopped and looked at her, surprised when she pushed him away so he had to sit up. Thinking she was trying to get him to stop, it was an even bigger surprise to him when she began undoing his belt, followed by his pants button. To save time, he stood up and removed his pants - Holli doing the same with hers - and then his shirt. Holli was slightly distracted by the view of his chest, staring for a moment before moving up the bed to pull the blankets down. Once they were both in bed, veiled by the sheets, they removed their remaining items of clothing.

Holli braced herself as Sam returned to his position on top, him entering shortly after. They both let out a small gasp before syncing with their motions. Both were lost in each other, Holli clinging to Sam, Sam burying his face in Holli's neck. She dug her nails into his back as she climaxed, sending Sam over the edge as well. Finished, be rolled next to her, breathing heavily. They looked at each other, smiling, for a moment before Holli got up and headed towards the bathroom. She returned a few minutes later in one of Sam's shirts, which made him laugh. He patted the spot next to him, wanting her to return to his side. Happily, she crawled into bed and put her head on Sam's shoulder, falling asleep shortly after.

Sam slept peacefully that night and woke up in a pleasant mood the next morning. Looking to his left, he smiled when he saw Holli still fast asleep next to him. He slowly sat up and turned so he could put his feet on the floor. After he stretched and yawned, he opened his eyes to see Dean sitting opposite him with a big smile on his face.

"What?" Sam knew what he was smiling about, but he played dumb.

"You had sex. With a girl!"

"Ugh, shut up, Dean."

"You finally hooked up with someone who wasn't your own hand!" He seemed almost giddy for his brother. "So how was it?"

"Dean…" Sam rubbed his temples.

"Come on! You having sex is like leap year or something! It doesn't happen often, so you need to fill me in.

"You aren't dropping this, are you?"

"Hell no."

"Didn't think so. Let's go get some coffee." He put on jeans and a shirt and went with Dean to the diner attached to the motel office. They ordered a cup of coffee each, and Sam asked for a blueberry muffin to take back to Holli. Once everything was at the table, he braced himself for Dean's questions.

"Okay." He started after taking a couple of drinks. "Start from the beginning. How did it happen?"

"We were talking about how she felt about getting home today, and she started talking about how she was kind of dreading it and that she would really miss you and me. Then she started crying and when she was done she just said 'Fuck it' and kissed me. Things escalated from there."

"Is she hot naked? I feel like her little midget thing would be hot naked."

"Jesus, Dean."

"What? I'm just trying to get the full image. I mean, aside from you naked."

"Are you done now?"

"Of course not. Did she get all clingy after? Or was it you? I bet you were the one to get sentimental."

"We went to sleep."

"Good. She's not a leech and you aren't a puss. Now a more serious question. Are you gonna be okay, Sammy? I mean, she's going home today. How are you handling it?"

"I'm fine."

"If we weren't trying to stop the end of the world, I'd say we could stick around for awhile."

"I know you would. I'm okay, though." They finished their coffee shortly after, paid, and walked back to the room. Holli was already up and dressed when they got back, watching some morning talk show.

"Are obese babies monsters, or just sad?" She asked, indicating the topic of the show.

"Just sad, but their parents must be monsters to let it happen." Dean said. He got a laugh out of her, which pleased him.

"Here. Thought you might be hungry." Sam handed her the muffin.

"Do you always buy food for the girl the morning after?" She joked.

"You're the first to get blueberry.'

"Well I just feel too fucking special!" She smiled at him and began eating. Once she was done and everything was packed up, they began their final stretch of the trip.

The three were silent, letting Dean's Metallica tape fill the car. Dean drummed along to the songs on the steering wheel, trying to ignore the tension in the car. He knew Sam was upset, and after looking in the rearview mirror to find Holli slouched and staring out the window with her hood up, it was clear she really wasn't happy to be going hom.

As they crossed the border into Indiana, the weather started to change and snow covered everything. It took three hours to read Madison, and the snow falling had progressively gotten worse to the point of white out conditions. Dean drove slowly as they traveled down the winding, rocky hill leading downtown. What they saw was completely unexpected.

"Oh my god." Holli whispered, eyes filling with tears. Buildings everywhere had their windows boarded up and signs stating that they were closed until repairs were finished. Holli asked Dean to turn right on Main so she could see if the salon was still in decent shape. It wasn't. The remaining structure that hadn't collapsed enclosed around the charred remains that used to be her place of employment.

"Turn left up here and then right onto 2nd. It's the second house on the right." Dean did as he was told and was surprised to see all of the buildings surrounding her house were also very badly damaged. Her home wasn't damaged at all, though. It looked perfectly fine.

"Whoa." Dean said. It was all he could think of as he parked outside. They got out of the Impala and made their way up to the house. Holli was speechless as she took everything in. She found the hidden spare key and shakily unlocked the door. The inside of her house was spotless. Whatever had happened to the rest of the town completely passed her house.

"I did this." She cried as she sat down. "When that demon was fucking in me, I did all of this. I ruined this town."

"Holli, it's not your fault." Sam tried comforting her.

"Can you kill demons?"

"Not without special weapons, which are extremely rare and almost impossible to come by." Dean informed her. "Why do you even want to know? We sent the demon back to Hell."

"And it'll crawl it's way back out. When it does, I'm killing the bastard." She stood up and stormed out of the room. The boys gave each other a confused look and went after her.

Holli could only think about killing the demon as she threw her clothes into a duffle bag. If she was going to get revenge she couldn't stay in the remnants of her town, surrounded by the destruction she had caused. She didn't have the first clue about killing supernatural beings, but she was good with guns and could learn fairly quickly when she was determined.

When she had finished shoving her closet into a bag, she found another bag and walked out of the room. Sam and Dean followed, confused and curious by her behavior. Holli opened the pantry in her kitchen and then lifted a piece of the floor to reveal a staircase leading to the basement. The three went down into the darkness, and when Holli turned the lights on, the brothers stared in amazement. Boxes of military rations were stacked against one wall, cots against another, bottles of water everywhere, and on the wall farthest from them, guns of all sorts.

"Well shit." Dean said, surprised and impressed.

"You have a bunker?" Sam was just as surprised.

"My grandpa was freaked by the Cold War." Holli informed them as she put whatever she could fit into the bag.

"Those won't help you unless you have the right ammo." Dean grabbed an AR-15 and inspected it.

"What do I need?"

"We can't talk you out of this, can we?" Sam really didn't want her to do this, especially with the apocalypse on their tail.

"Nope. Either kill or be killed now. Too much is fucked up to go back to how it used to be."

"Sam, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sam followed Dean and went to the far corner of the room to talk privately.

"What?"

"I know what you're thinking and we can't take her with us. Not with Hell about to explode.

"We can't just leave her on her own to get killed."

"If we try to teach her everything she'll need to know, we'll all get killed. What's going on with the seals is more important. We just can't afford to be weighed down right now." They stared each other down for a moment, each standing his own ground. Then Sam had an idea.

"Bobby!"

"What? What about him?"

"We can send her there. He can help her."

"If he isn't caught up with something, that might actually be a good idea."

"Holli," Sam rushed over to her. "We kind of have something we need to focus on, but we're going to give you the address of our friend, Bobby Singer. Go straight to him and he'll teach you what you need to know about hunting." When they returned upstairs, Sam wrote down the address and gave it to Holli. She put it in her pocket and took her bags out to her Honda CR-V. Once they were loaded in the back, she went back inside to pack some blankets, pillows, and food.

"Feel free to take whatever you want." She told them as she opened a pizza lunchable.

"I still think you're 8." Dean said, head stuck in the fridge. Holli managed to smile at this, despite still being more upset than she thought possible.

Sam grabbed a water and took a drink, his appetite gone. He didn't want Holli to have this life. He wanted her to be oblivious to all of the evil, have a regular job, house, and family. The life she was getting into was hard and lonely. It didn't suit her.

"Can I talk to you?" He grabbed her hand and lead her out of the kitchen.

"What's up?"

"You don't need to do this."

"Yes I do. I've already decided.

"Holli, it's dangerous. You could get killed."

"I know."

"I don't want that for you! This shouldn't be your life! No one should have this life."

"Sam," She grabbed his hands and they sat on the couch. "The way I see it, I don't have an option. My job is ruined, my town is ruined, I have no family left, so why stay? I need to put my anger somewhere productive instead of letting it eat away at me."

"Then please keep in touch and let me know how things go with Bobby. He's a really great guy. Like a father to us."

"I'll be okay. I promise. I know I don't look like it, but I can handle myself."

"I don't doubt that." He grinned at her and then surprised them both by kissing her. Butterflies went crazy in the pit of Holli's stomach. She had been the one to initiate last time, so Sam taking action excited her. The butterflies managed to get crazier when Sam laid her down and positioned himself on top. She put her hands on his arms and felt his flexed muscles as he supported his weight. He moved one arm so he could squeeze her hip, which made the butterflies spontaneously combust, she liked it so much. She almost forgot the situation she was in.

"What are you two-oh! Sorry! Don't mind me. I'll just make another sandwich." Dean tip-toed back into the kitchen.

"It's ruined, isn't it?" Sam asked, already knowing Dean had killed the mood.

"Yeah. Just a bit." Holli laughed uncomfortable as they got back up. "Um, I should get going. I've got to go by an ATM and then pick up a new phone before I head to Bobby's."

"Are you going to be okay on money?"

"Yeah. I've got some saved, so I'm fine." They stood in an awkward silence before going into the kitchen to let dean know it was time to leave. The boys helped her put the remaining things into her car and then said their goodbyes.

"I hope things work out, Frodo. Bobby's a good man." Dean hugged her, glad to be the tall one whose head wasn't squished, which was rare.

"I'll miss the names, Dean. I'm surprised you keep coming up with them.

"All stored up here, sweetie." He tapped his temple. "I'm gonna go wait in the car so you guys can have your goodbye time." He squeezed Sam's shoulder and then walked off.

"Here." Sam pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Holli. "It's my number. Get in touch when you get a phone."

"Thanks, Sam." She smiled up at him.

"Please keep in touch. I'll worry if you don't."

"I promise. I'll be okay. Stop worrying." She grabbed his collar and pulled him down so she could kiss him. "I'll see you around, Sam." She said when they pulled apart. She then got in her car, waved, and drove off. Sam really hoped she was right about seeing him again.


End file.
